City students turn teachers

Tired of being on the other side of the blackboard, these collegians have turned their skills into lucrative teaching jobs. Some like 18-year-old Nittal Chandarana teach speech and drama at The Artistes Studio, Andheri.

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cultureUpdated: May 22, 2011 14:31 IST

Priyanka Iyer Hindustan Times

Tired of being on the other side of the blackboard, these collegians have turned their skills into lucrative teaching jobs. Some like 18-year-old Nittal Chandarana teach speech and drama at The Artistes Studio, Andheri.

“I started off by learning speech and drama at the institute. I used to love it,” she says. On being asked why she decided to start teaching, she says, “Well, I never thought about it until my teachers asked me if I would like to assist them. They had faith in me and that’s when I decided to take up teaching.”

Chocolate maker Esha Arya says, “I started off learning to make chocolate as a hobby. But then I got interested and did three to four basic courses and a few advanced courses.” Esha, who loves gifting chocolates to her friends and family, decided to start selling chocolates and teaching people to make them too.

Music is one area most teens naturally gravitate to, just like Drashti Thakkar, 17, drummer of the band Ceborgium106, “I had given the grade three music exams (drums) offered by Trinity College London and then decided that I could teach. I had the certificate with me and love drumming too, so what can be better?”

Prachi Lakhani, 20, a Bharatanatyam and hip-hop instructor, adds, “Teaching is always a task because you don’t teach people who already know how to dance, but those who want to learn. It's difficult to teach kids and elders alike,” she says.

“But it gives you confidence and a little extra pocket money,” chimes in Nittal, who insists she's proud that she can pay for her own needs at such a young age. Drashti adds, smiling, “You feel good when a student accomplishes something which they never thought they could.”

And when it comes to managing college lectures with her teaching classes, Esha adds that most people come for classes during the summer and Diwali holidays.